I came back to Arachne Reef on Aug. 6, 2022 on the SEA Dive charter boat. Last time, I found that I preferred the North side of the reef since it seemed to be covered with more invertebrate life, especially the coating of white plumose anemones. Today I wanted to re-visit the North side of the reef and then swim around the corner to its Western tip. Visibility was a green 15' in the shallows. I reached the plumose-covered area I remembered from last time (40-50' deep).
I swam down deeper than last time, but the depths below 50' had much less plumose anemones. There were mostly lots of orange burrowing cucumbers. I didn't notice them last time since it was February and burrowing cucumbers retract their tentacles and go dormant in the Winter. Visibility had improved a bit to about 20' or so.
I went back up to the 40-50' depths where, in addition to all the plumose anemones, there was more of a coating of current-loving invertebrates like multicoloured tunicate colonies.
Around on the West side of the reef, I came across a wall that went from about 60' deep down to just over 100' deep if I remember right. This area was definitely my favorite part of the dive.
Up above the top of the wall I saw a basket star about 50-60' deep.
I swam back up along the top of the reef. The depths here were about 20'. I would have liked to explore some more here under the kelp forest, but the current had become too strong to swim against. I had to hold onto the kelp for a decompression stop.
I think this North-West corner of Arachne Reef was an impressively-great dive. I'm not sure that It's better than the wall at North Cod Reef, but I think it must be one of the best dives off the Sidney area.
